Even before Boulton became embroiled in a row with former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, he had already courted controversy. When hosting the second leaders' debate, he put a point to Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg which appeared to be outside the rules of the televised debates, leading to 700 complaints to TV watchdog Ofcom.

But Boulton's #ge2010 really reached a crescendo last night with his tangles with former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell and then Labour MP (and culture secretary, for now) Ben Bradshaw.